JUST IN: Supreme Court Judge arraigned in Abuja


A Federal High Court in Abuja has stood down proceedings for two hours to enable the Federal Government respond to the bail application filed by a Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Sylvester Ngwuta, who was arraigned on money laundering charges and others earlier today (Monday).

The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Charles Adeogun-Philips, told the trial judge, Justice John Tsoho, that he prepared to call the first prosecution witness shortly after the defendant pleaded not guilty to all the 16 counts preferred against him on Monday.

But the defence led by Chief Kanu Agabi (SAN) later informed the court of his client’s bail application.

Adeogun-Philips responded by saying that he was just served and so he needed time to read the motion to enable him to take a decision on whether to oppose it or not.

He suggested a two-hour stand-down which was agreed to by Agabi and subsequently by the judge.

The judge then stood down till 12.30pm.

The Federal Government on Monday arraigned Justice Ngwuta, on charges of money laundering and others bordering on breaches relating to obtaining of passports.

The justice of the apex court, who was charged following the raid on his house and some other judges by operatives of the Department of State Service, pleaded not guilty to all the 16 counts read to him on Monday.

It was alleged in the 16 counts that Ngwuta transferred the total sum of N505m “denominated in naira and US dollars” to a building contractor, to Nwamba Linus Chukwuebuka, between January and May 2016.

-thenigerialawyer
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